


Honor Among Thieves

by Samatura



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Fluff, Gang activity, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Violence/Violence Mention, abuse mention, sexual activity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-10 05:07:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7831489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samatura/pseuds/Samatura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hanamura has a vast criminal underground, and a young Jesse McCree is stationed there to run shipments for the Japan Chapter of the Deadlock Gang. It's a good fit for Jesse, to run rampant in a place where he is unbound by rules and regulations. However, when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected friendship, the gunslinger is thrust into a world he's never known. A world of tradition and honor, where Dragons walk among men, where every action has a price to pay. It is here he finds not only friendship, but a love that is just as dangerous as it is sweet. And when outside forces threaten to tear down this new world to the ground, McCree must make a choice between the life he knew and the life he had only just begun to build within the walls of Shimada Castle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Chance Encounter

 

Hanamura was a beautiful city, a perfect median of traditional Japan and the infrastructure of the modern era. Towering cities, bustling streets and neon lights lived beside ancient fences and hand carved architecture, cherry blossom trees shedding onto loose cobblestone paths that jutted away from the nearby pavement and the darker, more seedy alleyways of the downtown area.

 

It was this part of Hanamura that Jesse McCree called home. The young man walked through the crowded roads of Downtown, easy and comfortable in the splashes of neon light. He knew this area well, and after a few months in the city he was a master of it, ducking down alleys and through the backs of shops, shooting nods to the owners as he did. They answered with curt nods of their own, not sparing him another glance as he jumped back into the busy sidewalk.

 

Yet just because they averted their eyes didn’t mean everyone did. Cool confidence dripped from his every move and even though he blended in, he attracted his fair share of attention. Curious eyes scanned up and down his body as he made his way through the crowd. He knew the locals would stare, and why shouldn’t they? Foreigners were always a bit of a novelty in Japan, especially when they stood out the way he did. 

 

At 17 years old, McCree cut a strong figure in any setting. Tall with lean muscle, decked in leather pants with boots to match, shining spurs clanking with each step. His chest was barely covered in a tank top that was dirty and tattered underneath a weathered leather vest, the back painted with a mural of a winged skull chewing at lock, angry eyes staring at all those who watched him pass. Rows of piercings hung from his ears, jingling as he walked. His arms swayed with sanguine ease at his sides, a detailed tattoo depicting the same skull-and-lock image as his jacket painting his left forearm. Brown shaggy hair a wild mane around his head, scruffy facial hair just as rough as the rest of him, topped with a brown cowboy hat that glinted with gold finishes.

 

And to top it off, a glittering belt buckle broke the black ensemble, declaring proudly that Jesse McCree was indeed a Bad Ass Mother Fucker.

 

He caught the gaze of a couple local girls standing on the corner, whispering excitedly in hushed Japanese, looking him up and down. McCree debated walking over to them and initiating a conversation. They were pretty cute girls, and Jesse was a smooth guy; He could use a fun and easy encounter. But he had already sold himself on another form of entertainment for the night, so he settled on shooting them a wink, which resulted in them dissolving into a fit of giggles, before he crossed the road and continued on his way.

 

He rounded a few more corners before making his way to his intended destination: A late night arcade, lights flashing and badass characters splashed across the store front windows. Bells jingled as Jesse made his way inside, where the man behind the counter greeted him happily, bowing slightly. McCree tipped his hat in response, slipping a hand into his pocket to feel the loose change there, begging to be spent. He’d had a long day, and he was more than a little eager to leave his work behind for the night.

 

He walked past the rows of classic machines, bee-lining for one in particular. It was a Wild West shooting game, his favorite, and his trigger finger was itching for it. When he had first been moved to Hanamura, the little arcade and the shooter game had been all he had to rely on, the only thing that kept him connected to the States he had been forced to leave behind. He had spent many an hour in front of it, fanning the hammer at the little characters on the screen until the leaderboard was nothing but his name.

 

The coins slid into the slot with a satisfying clatter, the screen coming to life in a show of noise and color. He hit a few buttons as the leaderboard opened, grinning with satisfaction as it began to scroll onto the screen. His name appeared one time after the other, the number steadily rising,  each time partnered with the name ‘JESSE’.

 

But the smile on his face fell instantly as the ‘CHAMPION: HIGH SCORE’ rank flashed across the screen, a different name next to a number he had never seen. “What in the fuck…?” He muttered, voice low and gravelly. How could this have happened? It’d been one day since he had last come in, and not once had anyone ever been able to beat any of his scores, let alone steal the Champion spot. He glowered at the machine, hands balling into fists in annoyance that would have lasted longer had he not been ripped away by a voice that came from behind him. 

 

“So, you are Jesse, yes?”   
  


McCree spun around in irritation, eyes falling down to meet those of a small Japanese boy with a wide grin on his face. The kid looked young, couldn’t be older than 15 or 16, arms folded across his chest in smug satisfaction as he locked eyes with Jesse. His english was pretty good, and he was dressed in strange Japanese street clothes that were baggy in some places and tight in others. Had he not been so irritated, he might’ve thought the kid was intriguing, the kid’s poise reflecting Jesse’s normal cockiness. But the annoyance that burned his chest made him look past that to glare at the boy before him, folding his own arms.

 

“Yeah, ‘sright,” he snapped. “Who’s asking?”

 

His response only made the kid grin wider before he stepped past Jesse, walking up to the machine before them. Their eyes locked again as the boy tapped his finger on the glass, and McCree narrowed his own as he stared at the kid who had dared take his highscore. They were silent for a moment, their faces lighting up in the flickering light of the name that continued to flash on the screen as the current champion; ‘GENJI’.

 

Jesse took a deep breath, flexing and unflexing his fingers to keep from knocking the kid out right now. His captain had given him a lecture or two on anger management, and he tried to remember the steps as best he could as the boy leaned in, a toothy grin across his face. Count to ten, deep breaths, anything other than punching the lights out of him. He liked this place, liked the people who came in and the man who ran it, and wasn’t about to get himself banned from one of the only arcades in this part of Hanamura that had english games. Still, the way the boy was looking at him, eyebrows arched as he shifted his weight from foot to foot, was more than asking for a solid blow to the head.

 

“Genji,” the boy reiterated gleefully. “And you are Jesse.”

 

“No shit,” McCree grumbled. “Thought that was established.” He was more than eager to end the conversation. He side stepped the boy, placing himself in front of the game console to slide his coins inside. The machine roared to life as Jesse took the red gun from the left side of the center piece, face hardened in concentration.

 

He jumped in surprise as the kid ducked beneath him, sliding his own coins in as he grabbed the blue gun from the right side. Jesse shot him a sidelong glare, which only made the kid laugh out loud, gesturing to the game.

 

“Come on, there is no harm in a friendly game between two skilled competitors,” His smile never waved as he spoke. Jesse felt his chest tighten as his annoyance subsided into excitement at the prospect of redeeming himself while simultaneously beating the kid into the ground. He looked at Genji one more time, sizing him up, before letting a smile cross his own face.

 

“You’re on, kid.”

 

The boy actually jumped up and down in giddy excitement before the two spun around to face the machine as it whirled to life with sound and color. As the countdown began, Jesse saw the boy look at him out of the corner of his eye, but didn’t spare him a glance. He was focused intently on the screen before him, watching the numbers count down. He took a deep breath, letting the sounds of the other games around them, and the boy at his side fade out of his mind, his eyes strictly on the screen and on the gun he held in his hands, raised, finger itching on the trigger. Three, two, one.

 

‘START!’

 

Characters began to dance on the screen, and fell just as quickly. As soon as Jesse saw their heads pop up, they were shot down, falling with comedic yells out of view. The arcade echoed in a chorus of ‘BLAMBLAMBLAM’, no pause between shots as Jesse fanned the hammer of the red plastic gun. He heard the same loud eruption of sound from his right but paid it no mind, focusing on shooting as many of the comical little figures he could, his sights sweeping across both sides of the map. Every time he pulled the trigger, a man fell dead.

 

His score continued to rack on the top of the screen, but he didn’t spare it a glance. No movement was wasted as he quickly raised the gun in the motion that ‘reloaded’ it before going back to his task. He was firing with a purpose, intent on putting the tiny Japanese kid in his place. Who the hell did he think he was, coming into Jesse’s territory and stamping his name on it?  The thought was enough to make him growl, renewing his irritation. His firing sped up, knocking down even more of the characters, racking up kills, bodies on top of bodies.

 

The final countdown came up on the screen, warning that they had ten seconds as the final rush of bandits appeared. Jesse shot like a bat out of hell, like there was nothing else in the world but him and the gun. His entire body was tensed by the time the countdown hit zero and the game was up, frozen in the position. He heard Genji speaking Japanese beside him, slowly letting his muscles relax and lowering the gun as the final scores came up on the screen.

 

‘NEW CHAMPION: ENTER NAME’

 

He let out a slow breath, rolling his neck as a satisfied smile crossed his face. He typed his name into the console, and couldn’t help the grin that crossed his face as the name ‘GENJI’ was knocked down on the leaderboard, ‘JESSE’ sitting rightfully and proudly at the top as the Champion.

 

It was then he turned back to the boy who, to his surprise, was smiling even wider than before. His brown eyes were huge and glittering with excitement as he stared up at him.

 

“That was amazing!” He chirped, bouncing back and forth on his heels. “I have never seen anyone shoot like that before, that was the coolest thing I have ever seen!”

 

Jesse cocked his head, raising an eyebrow in surprise. He had expected a reaction, but this sure as hell wasn’t it. The boy was practically beaming in the afterglow of his defeat. He supposed there was more to the kid than he had initially thought, though given his first thoughts were punching him in the face, that wasn’t saying much. Still, he took this time to appraise the boy in a way he hadn’t before and looked him up and down, taking inventory of every detail he could.

 

His dark hair was long and jagged, gelled to stick up on his head. A skin tight sleeveless shirt in electric green clung to his body, though for whatever reason it had a baggy, pooling collar. Black harem pants hung low on his body, baggy at knee level. He had on shoes that looked like mostly fabric, barely there on his feet. Bracelets hung on both his wrists, clattering occasionally as he clasped his hands together. He was muscular in the way highschool freshmen who did a high intensity sport were, and the muscle definition on his body was clearly visible.Jesse couldn’t be sure, but he thought the kid might’ve been wearing eyeliner.

 

Odd, McCree decided, but not any more odd than the other street fashions he had seen. In fact, by most people’s standards, this was pretty tame. Another decision: the kid couldn’t be too bad.

 

“Reckon we got off on the wrong foot,” He began, holding out a hand. “Name’s Jesse McCree.”

 

The boy smiled up at him, taking his hand proudly. A realization: his hands were almost as rough as Jesse’s.

 

“I am,” he hesitated a moment before making a decision. “Genji.”

 

Jesse smirked. “Just ‘Genji’?”

 

“Do you need anything more?” He asked, a challenging tone behind his words. Shoot, that was fine by him. Jesse wasn’t one to pry, especially with a literal kid. He liked trouble, but prefed to stay out of the domestic side of things. He was one of the youngest people in his crew, and there was a reason for that. Kids were a responsibility, they were loud, and they were fuckin stupid. It wasn’t his job to babysit. Still, this one seemed pretty interesting.

 

“Works for me,” He shrugged, nodding back towards the arcade machine. “You wanna go another round?”

 

Genji laughed, nodding quickly. “Works for me,” He shot back, trying to copy Jesse’s drawl. McCree snickered, shaking his head before sliding his coins into the machine, and just like that, the game was on again. It was less tense than the round before, and Jesse found himself smiling and laughing as Genji played at his side. When he wasn’t focused on an all out assault, the two of them were pretty evenly matched. Jesse would let out a holler every time he won, and found himself begrudgingly happy when Genji managed to pull ahead and steal the victory. It was fun, this feeling of good natured competition, and that was a feeling Jesse hadn’t had in a long time.

 

A good amount of time passed, and they were content to ignore it until Jesse glanced at the digital clock hanging in the center of the arcade room and grunted. He slid the plastic gun into it’s holster on the console, rolling his neck. Genji looked at him in disappointment, pouting slightly as he returned his own gun.

 

“Well, I reckon that was more fun than I’ve had in a mighty long time,” Jesse said smoothly, looking down at Genji with a smile. He grinned back, folding his arms approvingly. 

 

“I agree, same for me,” He said joyfully before his smile slightly fell, looking down. Jesse pitied the kid and felt for him. Clearly he didn’t want to go home, and neither did Jesse. But he doubted the boy’s parents would appreciate him staying out with some 17 year old ruffian like him in the early hours of the morning.

 

Jesse pulled out his phone, glancing down at the clock. It was nearly 3am, and though no one back home would be missing him, he needed to be heading back. Genji copied him quickly, pulling out his own phone which he held out to Jesse. McCree cocked an eyebrow before understanding, a smile crossing his lips. 

 

“We should meet again sometime soon,” Genji urged as he took the other’s phone, opening it to type in his number. “I’m sure I could beat you another time.” 

 

This made McCree laugh out loud, shooting the kid a daring smirk. “You can damn well try,” He scoffed, opening up the kid’s phone. 

 

The moment he did, he couldn’t look away. The lock screen was a bright picture of Genji, posing with a wink and a peace sign held up. Beside him, a beautiful girl with long hair that was parted in the center glared up at him, eyebrows furrowed in irritation. They must have been siblings, judging by their eyes and  how Genji had his cheek squished against the others, arm hooked around his neck as the other disappeared out of shot to take the picture. An emoji or two was plastered around the border, words written in Kanji lining the bottom in bright flowing script. 

 

He shook his head with a laugh at the girl’s expression before clicking away, typing his number in before shoving it back at him. “You can text me anytime. And you can pass my number along to that hot sister of yours too, she’s a real looker. She can call me anytime, know what I mean?” He grinned, teeth flashing.

 

Genji cocked an eyebrow as he handed McCree back his own phone. “Sister? I do not have-” His eyes widened in realization, and instantly he burst out laughing. Not just laughing, but guffawing, nearly dropping his phone as he clutched his stomach, curling around himself. Jesse took a step backwards, face screwed in confusion. Genji continued to laugh, shaking his head and looking up at McCree with tears streaming down his face. Jesse grit his teeth, not one to take getting so openly mocked. 

 

“What the hell Genji? I ain’t gonna sit here while you laugh at me,” He said indignantly, folding his arms across his chest. “You can’t blame a guy for tryin’.”

 

Genji held up a hand apologetically, though his smile never waved as he wiped away a tear, standing straight. “I did not mean to mock you,” He said, another giggle slipping out of his mouth as he held up his phone, pointing to the picture on the screen. “It’s just, I do not have a sister. That’s my brother.”

 

Jesse froze, and he could feel his face turning red. He snatched the phone out of Genji’s hand, staring down at the image. Now that he spent more time on it, he could see the strong jawline, the high cheekbones, the muscled neck that met the beginnings of strong pectoral muscles that disappeared beneath a Yukata. The figure in the picture had strong eyebrows, thick and arched angrily over narrowed eyes that burned brown. Bangs fell on either side of his face, framing it like royalty. Looking closer, it was clearly a man with Genji. And god damn him if it wasn’t the most beautiful man Jesse had ever seen.

 

McCree shook his head, tossing the phone back at Genji as he turned away, heading towards the exit. Genji followed behind him as he’d expected, giggling and hopping about on either side of him. Jesse made his way outside, trying to keep his cool as he pulled a cigarillo from pocket, lighting it up quickly. His nerves were firing at a hundred miles an hour and he needed to slow them down. Genji halted when he saw it,  watching curiously as Jesse leaned against the building and took a long drag, letting his head fall back onto the wall as he exhaled a large plume of smoke. He closed his eyes, sorting through his thoughts for a moment, trying to figure out what to say that could save him from the embarrassment that burned in his chest before Genji interjected.

“That’s so  _ cool _ ,” he breathed. “You look like a Dragon.” 

 

Jesse snorted, taking another drag. “You smoke, kid?” Genji shook his head in response. “Good. Don’t start. It’s a filthy habit.” He exhaled again, letting his mouth hang open as he watched the smoke tendril up into the sky. 

 

Genji watched silently for a moment, as if he himself were trying to decide what to say. “Hanzo smokes sometimes,” He said after a pause, squatting on his feet, head back against the wall. “It is a kiseru, a pipe, not a cigarette like yours, but he’ll smoke with my father. Or sitting out in the garden. He’ll blow smoke out of his nose and mouth, or do little tricks if I bother him enough. He  _ really _ looks like a dragon when he does it.”

 

Jesse listened without interjection, connecting Hanzo with the man on Genji’s phone. He didn’t speak, just listened. Imagined the man sitting in flowing robes, poised like a god as he smoked a long pipe. He imagined the smoke pouring out of his nose and his mouth hanging open the way Jesse’s did now. He burned the image into his mind, trying to ignore the heat that pooled in him at the thought. Slowly, he slid down the wall to sit beside Genji, his legs stretched slightly before him, arms resting on his knees.

 

“My father says I’m too young for it,” Genji continued, shoulders hunched, looking at the smoke that filtered before them as Jesse took another drag. “He expects so much of us, treats me like a man with so many responsibilities, but acts like I am still a child. Hanzo doesn’t help either. He’s only 18, but he’s already so much more adult than me. He looks at me as though I am a disappointment because I do not follow every word our father says. Because I do not want to be like them. I am meant to carry on my family’s legacy, but if I am never to be treated equally with Hanzo, how are we meant to share our inheritance?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “Not that I want it.”

 

Jesse watched him, watched the many emotions that passed through his features. So young, to be worried about these things, to have such a weight on his shoulders. He remembered being that age, caught somewhere between Boy and Man, unsure of what the future held. He had been forced to chose family or freedom, and he had chosen the latter. He had been getting his tattoo when he was Genji’s age. He remembered that; Remembered his mother’s rage and disappointment, remembered her crying with her head in her hands as his father pointed at the door, words coming out of his mouth Jesse couldn’t hear over the roaring in his ears as he had turned away and left. He had slammed that door and had never looked back.

 

He took another long drag, letting the taste and the nicotine bury the memories. He wasn’t the one who needed them right now. “I understand how you’re feelin’,” Jesse said slowly, his voice low and thick. “Sometimes, we want things our family can’t give us. I know what it’s like to want something more from life, trust me. I’ve disappointed probably every person I’m related to,” he chuckled.  “I’m sure your father is just doing what he feels is best for you. Your brother is probably just trying follow the family plan. But if that’s not what you want to do, you shouldn’t do it. Not that you need to go this far, but you can make your own family in life. You don’t need to be bound to the people you were born with.”

 

His chest felt heavy as he thought of his mother once more, but he pushed it down, turning to look at Genji instead. He found the boy was already looking at him, a gentle smile touching his lips. Jesse smiled back at him, his heart warming for an instant, before he took the last hit of his cigarillo and blew it in Genji’s face. The boy laughed, falling away and batting the smoke away wildly. McCree grinned, tossing the butt of the cigar away before rising to his feet, dusting his hands on his jeans before holding out his hand to him. Genji took it graciously, rising to his feet. 

 

They looked at each other in a moment of content before Jesse checked his phone again, groaning. It was almost a quarter til 4am, and he still had a good deal of walking to do. “Do you need me to walk you home?” He asked, but Genji shook his head. 

 

“I am alright. I know my way around.” Jesse wanted to protest since Genji was so young, but he stopped himself, knowing that after what they had just discussed, he had to give the boy some space. He smiled him, and Genji smiled back, bowing slightly at the waist. 

 

“Alright, alright. Text me once ya get home, mkay? I wanna make sure you get there safe.” He said as he took a few steps in the direction of home. Genji nodded and turned, waving goodbye as he started his own way home. Jesse turned away before grinning, turning back to yell, “And you can still give go ahead and pass my number on to that hot brother of yours, got it?” 

 

Genji threw his head back, grinning wildly as he called back, “Perhaps I will!” before disappearing around the corner. Jesse grinned, shaking his head as he tucked his hands into his pockets and made his way down the dirty streets of downtown Hanamura, back towards home.

 

‘Home’ was a rundown two story apartment building covered in a landscape of graffiti and grime. He made his way down the sidewalk leading up to the rusted gate, stepping over puddles of god only knows as he let himself into the courtyard that was cracked and covered in a lawn of cigarette butts, broke empty bottles blooming like flowers in their oily colors. He stepped up to the door covered in peeling paint and knocked four times, paused, then three more to announce his presence, before unlocking the door and letting himself in, locking it behind him. 

 

The entryway was just as grimy as the rest of the place, a disarray of boots and tactical gear shelved or strewn about the floor. He stepped up onto the floor level, padding across the slick linoleum floors. As he stepped into the main room, he found it fairly well populated despite the early morning hour. The room was a mess, a couple couches strewn about, a pool table pushed off to the side, a tv flickering brightly. Beer cans and bottles were scattered and stacked on everything, and impressive pyramid built on one of the tables next to the barred windows. The air was thick with smoke and the smell of wet dirt. A flag with a crest that matched the one on Jesse’s vest hung over the TV with the words ‘DEADLOCK’ printed neatly beneath it, the skull observing all the went on.

 

There were five or six people scattered about, sitting on the couches, the chairs, or the floor, chatting or watching the TV. They all turned, greeting him in a chorus of hellos and grunts. They were all as rough around the edges as Jesse was, tattooed, pierced and scarred. Brightly dyed hair stood out on a few. One or two were missing limbs. It didn’t matter. They all matched, they were all a unit.  One man with a long greasy black hair sat up from the couch, shooting him a mock salute. He had tattoos up and down his arms, fingers covered, and a few that littered his face danced as he smiled. 

 

“Well boy howdy, thanks fer joinin’ us tonight Jess!” He teased, his voice lined with a heavy southern drawl, propping his head up on his hand. “Where ya been at t’night, boy?”

 

“I been out,  _ mama _ ,” Jesse grunted, walking past him to grab a beer from the minifridge in the corner. “Didn’t realize I needed to check in wit’ ya.” 

 

The man grinned, shaking his head. “Boy I ain’t tellin’ ya what to do, I jus’ like knowin’ ya ain’t dead. Plus I needed ta tell ya that we got a job from back home.”

 

Jesse quirked a brow as he popped open his beer and knocked back a large swig before wiping his mouth. ‘Back Home’ meant New Mexico, where their base of operation was. All the people who called the shots were in the States, where they made the deals with international buyers while the little chapters like Jesse’s just kept high profile shipment areas like Hanamura under control and running smoothly. The Santa Fe Chapter had been where it had all started, and where Jesse had joined before being shipped off to be second in command in the Hanamura chapter. As far as Jesse was concerned, his Deadlock chapter was it’s own animal, but even across the globe they still had  follow orders. “From Santa Fe, huh? No shit. What do those fuckers want, Tex?”

 

Tex laughed, shaking his head. “We gotta run a big shipment soon-ish. ‘Escort the payload’ type bullshit, ya know the drill,” He said, mocking the formality with which they were instructed. Jesse smirked, taking another drink. “We’re gettin’ a bunch of new merch from that Yakuza group they made a deal with a few months back. So we gotta make sure it gets to the port with no problems so they can run it to Cali withoutta hitch. Easy shit.” 

 

McCree nodded in agreement, necking the last of his beer with a sigh before adding it to the collection on the table. He shot Tex a salute, the two grinning at each other. “No problems here, boss. Just tell me where to shoot.” And with that, he waved goodbye, stepping out into the hall and heading into his room. 

 

He stepped in and shut the door as quietly as possible, taking in the room in the dark. Two beds were shoved against either wall with a dresser between them, outlined in the faint neon light streaming through the barred window from the surrounding buildings. In the left bunk he could make out a sleeping figure, blankets rising and falling in slow breaths. Julian, he thought fondly, beginning to undress. He slid off his boots slowly so his spurs wouldn’t make any noise, setting them at the foot of his bed, stripping off the rest of his clothes easily and tossing them into a pile by the door.

 

He stood in his boxers for a moment as he glanced at Julian again, wondering for an instant if it would be worth it to slip into the other man’s bunk. He and Julian had history together, had been friends since they had first joined the gang together. Jesse hadn’t expected much out of the man, but they had bonded and formed something beautiful. The two had their share of physical encounters, but their friendship had never hindered. Standing in the dark now, he briefly considered starting one, before sighing and crawling into his own. Better to let Julian sleep.

 

He pulled the blankets over himself, staring at the ceiling. It had been a long day, and he was sure it would be an ever longer night. His was restless. His mind drifted from Julian, to the new shipment that was coming, to Genji. Remembering the boy, he pulled his phone out, smirking when he saw he had one new notification. He swiped it open quickly, the message from Genji popping up. He sucked in a loud breath, staring at the screen. 

 

The picture of Genji and Hanzo stared back at him, the message beneath it reading;

“It was very nice meeting you today! I cannot wait to see you again. Also, I figured you might want a picture of my ‘sister’. I will see you tomorrow yes? -Genji 

P.S. He did not accept your phone number”

 

Jesse read, then reread the text before closing his phone and rolling over, burying his face into his pillow. Today had been a long day, and he had had more than enough. He fell asleep thinking of high scores, neon lights, and dragons that breathed smoke through long pipes with dark piercing eyes.


	2. A Dragon's Den

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was such a long time coming! I hope ya'll enjoy it. I'm getting into the grove of things so hopefully that means content will come out faster.

 

 

Jesse was ripped awake by the sound of his alarm, groaning at its relentless beeping. He rolled over and smacked ‘snooze’, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with a lazy yawn. He was in no rush to face the world today. Their mission didn’t start for at least a few more days as far as he knew, and that meant he had no real plans. Which meant he had no real reason to crawl out of bed. 

 

Content in this knowledge, he rolled to lay on his back as he grabbed at his phone. Flicking it open, he was again greeted with the picture of Genji and Hanzo, eyes burning into him through the screen. The night before came flooding back to him all at once, the encounter with the Japanese kid, the round at the arcade, the picture of his brother, the moment they had shared outside. The picture of his brother.

  
  


“Hanzo…” He muttered out loud, eyes lingering on the strong face before him. His face was the closest to perfection he had ever seen, and Jesse had seen his fair share of beautiful people. Yet something about the man really got to him, really burned him up inside. The sharp cut of his face, his high cheek bones. He was unlike anything Jesse had ever seen. Genji had called him a Dragon, and Jesse thought that was befitting. Regal and elegant in a way that seemed inhuman, Jesse felt like he was an intruder for looking at his face without permission.

 

The thought made the fire in the base of his spine light up even more, and his hand absentmindedly strayed lower on his body. 

 

He had such a pretty face, Jesse mused. Was he that noble all the time? What would it take to break that composure, to make him smile? What would it take to make him moan? What would his voice sound like when he laughed? Or when he moaned? What would Jesse name sound like falling from those lips? McCree groaned quietly at the thought, licking his lips as he worked himself with his hand. What would Hanzo’s hands feel like, he thought absently. Would they be soft, or weathered like Genji’s had been when they shook hands? Would he even know how to take care of Jesse, or would he fumble? 

 

Jesse glanced around the room, making sure he was alone. Julian always left earlier than he did, and once he registered he was alone, he spread his legs wider and let his head fall back. Was Hanzo experienced? He licked his lips, spitting into his hand before he continued, running the flat of his palm down his length. Who was he kidding, with a face like that? Hanzo could get anything he wanted, of course he was experienced. The thought made Jesse bite his lip. Burning the image of Hanzo holding him, lips around him into his mind. He grunted, picking up the pace, breathing heavy out of his mouth. He could feel himself getting close, was just on the verge.  

 

The sound of his alarm blasting again made him shoot up out of bed, clutching his length in his hand too tight with panic. He sat up, back hunched as he panted in shallow breaths, pleasure gone to the white fear that had shook him from his fantasies. He ran a hand down his face in exasperation, build up gone. With a loud grunt he smashed the off button before flopping onto his back, staring at the ceiling. 

 

He closed his eye and let his arm fall to cover his face, trying to level his breathing and not think about what he had just been doing. It was bad enough he had started to touch himself with zero regard for whether or not Julian was in the room, but he had also been doing it to a picture of a man he had never met, that he had received from a 15 year old boy. He shook his head and rolled to the edge of the bed, sliding to his feet and shuffling towards the bathroom.  He needed to wash this morning down the drain.

 

He trudged into the bathroom and flipped on the shower as quickly as he could, not bothering for the water to get hot before climbing inside. Jesse leaned against the tile as cold water streamed across his back and down his shoulders, shooting through his nerves. At this time of the day there would be no warm water, as everyone else in the hde out got up earlier. Not that that was difficult since Jesse rarely rolled out of bed before noon if he didn't have to. Besides, the cold water was welcome, though it did little to wash out the residual thoughts of Hanzo he still had as he resigned himself to finishing.

 

His face was flushed, eyebrows knit in concentration.  Images of Hanzo crept into his brain, but he forced them out, gritting his teeth in annoyance. He tried to think of nothing as he stroked himself, until he came to a stuttering finish. It was lackluster, and as soon as he had cleaned his hands he turned off the water and stepped out. 

 

He toweled off and headed back to his room, eager to flop back into bed and sleep off the morning. The feeling of shame that touched his heart was irritating. The concept of getting off to a photo of someone he had never met shouldn’t have bothered him, but it did. It was the same as porn, he rationalized as he mopped the towel through his hair. He shouldn’t be worried about it.It wasn’t like he was ever going to meet Hanzo. 

 

As he dried, something caught his eye. His phone flashed from where he had left it on the bed, ringtone chirping quietly. He snatched it up quickly, eyes scanning across the new message on his screen.

 

‘Good afternoon! If you are not busy, would you like to get lunch? -Genji’ 

 

Jesse grinned at the text, the stress of the morning melting off his shoulders as he imagined the smaller Japanese boy. He stood for a moment, finding his words before quickly typing back. ‘Just woke up haha. When and where were u thinking?’

 

In the time it took for him to sort through the clothes in his pile for a clean-ish pair of underwear, Genji responded. ‘It is nearly 3pm and you just woke up? You are funny. I was thinking we could get ramen, would you like that? We can meet in Akuma Square in 45 minutes?’

‘Sounds good to me! See ya then’ Jesse typed back quickly before tossing his phone on the bed, searching around for clothes. It took him a little bit to find anything in the massive pile at the foot of his bed, but eventually he managed to dress himself, despite tripping as he put on his boxers and smashing into the floor.

 

He looked himself over in the body mirror on Julian’s side of the room. Same boots, a different pair of black faded jeans. ‘BAMF’ belt for good measure. A brown button up shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. Red bandana around his neck, for extra flair. And his hat to top it off. He modeled for a moment, running fingers across the small soul patch he had growing on his chin. Absently, he wondered how long it would take to grow a full beard if he just stopped shaving. 

 

With one final look in the mirror, shooting himself a wink, he grabbed his phone and headed out. As soon as he stepped out of his room he found himself walking right into someone else. He started to curse absently before realizing it was Julian. The young hispanic boy looked at him in surprise, raising a hand apologetically. “Ay, sorry, I thought you were still asleep.” 

 

Jesse grunted in acknowledgement, letting his eyes flick over the other man. He was a little more built than Jesse was, filled out in the ways Jesse had yet to do. He was rough and beat up, but had eyes that hid a tenderness Jesse had come to know. If he didn’t have plans, McCree might’ve pulled him into their room and relieved some of the tension that lingered from this morning. But he had to get going, so he settled instead with patting a hand on Julian’s shoulder as he walked past. 

 

“No worries, cabron,” He shrugged, shooting him a smile over his shoulder. 

 

Julian raised an eyebrow, giving Jesse a once over. “You’re up before 5? What’s the occasion? You got a date?” He teased, turning and folding his arms. 

 

“Maybe ‘ah do,” Jesse teased right back, continuing to walk towards the front door. “You gonna break their kneecaps again if I do?” 

 

“Oi, that was one time, pendejo,” Julian laughed, shaking his head before waving him off. “Come home safe, try not to start any trouble. Though my words are wasted on someone like you, all you know is trouble.”

 

“Aw shucks darlin’ you really do care,” He laughed, giving him a wave of his own before hopping out the front door and heading onto the street. 

 

It didn’t take long for him to reach Akuma Square as it was nearer than he had initially remembered. It was close to one of the more historic sides of Hanamura, and he tried not to run shipments in this area if he could help it. Too many tourists. And too many rich Yakuza families running deals of their own. He didn’t need to get caught up in their own brand of dealings and get his head cut off in the process. But the area was beautiful, with narrow streets like this one feeding out into large hand laid cobblestone, with high walls and cherry blossoms littering the ground with their gentle petals. 

 

As soon as he made his way into the square, he found Genji. They found each other, rather, because Genji spotted him immediately and trotted over, waving excitedly. The Japanese boy was dressed just as strangely as the night before, if not a little different. He wore another pair of shoes Jesse wasn’t positive were anything more than fabric, and pants so tight Jesse thought for a moment they might be women’s. He had a pale gray shirt that was long and tattered at the bottom, and a bright orange scarf was wrapped around his neck, the only color on his dark ensemble. Jesse wondered for a moment how his parents let him leave the house like that each day.

 

“Hello, McCree-san!” He said excitedly, looking up at the man before him.

 

“Jesse is fine, Genji-kun,” McCree chuckled, his grasp on Japanese basic but evident enough to not make a complete fool out of himself. 

 

Genji grinned, nodding his head before gesturing Jesse another direction. “Well then, Jesse-kun, shall we go?” 

 

“Lead the way,” He prompted, and the two set off. Jesse trailed at his side, taking in this part of Hanamura. The buildings were more clean, the and the mix of traditional Japan and the modern era were present in everything here. People dressed in Kimono chatted with young girls in bright bubbly street clothes, and the scalloped rooftops would end to flat cement of a new building, only to spring up on the other side.

 

Genji took them a few blocks, until they made their way down a closed road.Before them sat  a multistory building, swathed in white and bright colors. A bright orange koi flag fluttered in the breeze on the roof, swimming against the wind. On the front of the building, a large sculpture hung in the air of what looked to be some kind of alien holding a bowl of ramen in it’s chopstick, mouth wide and hungry.

 

Behind the building he could make out high walls cut with a wooden gate, stamped with a carving of two dragons chasing the others tail in a never ending loop. Huge sloped roof tops peaked out from above the walls, looming down over the alleyway as though they were keeping a wary eye on the streets surrounding. They looked regal, and shone with a brilliance unlike the other scalloped tiled rooftops Jesse had seen. The power and importance of whatever lay beyong those walls was evident. Jesse couldn’t see anything but the sculpted roof tops from where he stood, so he let his gaze fall back to the dragon symbol on the gate. It was a marking he was sure he had seen before, the mighty dragons with their mouths agape looping each other in eternal struggle. He thought he recognized the image, but couldn’t place where. 

 

Jesse shook his head after a moment, turning his attention back to the modern building in the center of the dead end, back to the flashing lights and bold English text that stood in stark contrast to the area around it and the dragons that slept on the wall behind it. 

 

“‘Rikimaru’?” He asked Genji curiously as he read the sign on the store front, to which Genji nodded. 

 

“It’s my favorite Ramen house in Hanamura,” He explained as the two walked inside, Jesse ducking underneath the low hanging curtains in the doorway. 

 

A voice from within called politely, “Irasshaimase!” and Jesse waved a hand in the general direction of the voice as they took seats at the bar. The inside was spacious and warm, lights dimmed and inviting. Genji slid him a menu, which Jesse mused over for  few moments before setting it down again. A man behind the counter soon greeted them, speaking to Genji in a cool familiar tone, and Genji chattered back in fluid Japanese. Jesse would catch a word here or there, but was content for a moment to just relax and watch. Genji’s mouth moved at a mile a minute, and from his profile he could see hints of Hanzo in his face. They had the same high cheekbones, and the same bright brown eyes. He wondered how Hanzo’s voice sounded, if Japanese spilled from his lips like it did for Genji.

 

Since his arrival in Hanamura, he had witnessed locals from a safe distance, knew only the ones he made deals with. Speaking Japanese had never been heavily enforced in their chapter, since Tex could speak it conversationally, though his accent messed up nearly every sentence. But there were other people at the base who were the translators, people like Shigo and Bashi. So Japanese was never a priority for Jesse, though he had picked it up for his own less moral purposes.

 

When Genji turned to him, Jesse was snapped out of his thoughts, and realized that both the boy and the man behind the counter were looking at him. He grinned sheepishly, tilting his head. “Come again?” 

 

The two Japanese men laughed, and Genji shook his head with a grin. “He asked your order?”

“O-oh yeah,” McCree laughed, pointing at a picture on the menu. Genji nodded approvingly, and the two fell into a comfortable silence for a moment as Genji gave an order in short Japanese and the man behind the counter disappeared with a bow into the curtained off kitchen. Jesse looked at the bright neon lit pictures of noodles and side dishes that covered the wall behind the counter, absently wondering if this place would ask for an ID if he ordered sake.

 

After a moment’s pause, Genji turned to McCree and propped his chin on his hand, leaning against it with a calm smile on his face. 

 

“So,” He grinned, and Jesse couldn’t help but laugh at the introduction, shifting to get comfortable. “Tell me, what is an American like you doing in Hanamura? I can’t imagine you’re here as a tourist.” 

 

McCree snorted at the thought, shaking his head. “Hey for all you know I could be here to see the Cherry blossoms in bloom. Maybe it’s on my bucket list.” 

 

Now it was Genji’s turn to laugh. “I am serious! You are interesting. I wish to know more about you.”

 

“Well, you can just tell I’m not here to smell the cherry blossoms then why do you think I’m really here?” He smirked, leaning against the counter as a woman came up and set down two glasses of water with a polite bow. 

 

The Japanese boy flashed teeth, grinning. “Well,” he began, pointing to the skull tattoo on Jesse’s arm. “I know that  _ that _ is the symbol of the Deadlock gang, and symbols just like that have begun to pop up as graffiti in some of the more… Undesirable areas of the city. Skulls missing eyes, burning and chewing on locks. It has been on the news.”

 

Jesse felt his stomach flip instantly, heart freezing for a moment. Damn it, that was probably Shenzi. She was always pulling some shit like that, spray painting their logo here and there and everywhere, and normally he wouldn’t have cared. Let the city know the Deadlocks were there. But this kid was more perceptive than McCree had initially taken him for, and the sinking in his chest made him realize just how little about Genji he knew as he continued.

 

“I know that you dress in a way similar to the Deadlock agents who have been apprehended. They are on the news too. There have been a few busts across the United States now that Overwatch is cracking down on illegal contraband dealings. The gang has yet to be shut down, but they are getting reckless. There are rewards for giving them helpful tips. Their members all have bounties on their heads.” He tilted his head, visibly enjoying the way Jesse stared at him in frozen surprise. “I also know you in particular have a rather hefty bounty back in the United States, Jesse McCree.”

 

Who the fuck was this kid? Why did he know so much? The Overwatch busts had barely been covered by news in the US, let alone in Japan. And how did Genji know about  _ his _ bounty? He felt his heart race, adrenaline racing. He did a check around the room quickly; How fast could he run? Did he remember his way out of this area? He didn’t have his gun on him. He wasn’t going to kill Genji, but even if it had come to that, he didn’t have that option, his revolver tucked into his dresser. He cursed himself mentally as his eyes narrowed on the boy before him. 

 

Genji held up his hands, shaking his head as his smile grew more gentle. “Do not fear, my friend. You are in the company of an ally.” 

 

This time, Jesse cocked his head in surprise, trying to slow his heart rate. Slowly, he took his glass of water, taking a slow drink before setting it down on the counter again, measuring his words carefully before speaking. He was still tensed, still ready to run, but now, slightly intrigued.

 

“Seems like you already know plenty there, friend,” he said, eyes Genji up. “So, if we’re sharin’ what we do and don’t know, why don’t you start talkin’ ‘bout yerself.”  

 

Genji thought for a moment, looking up at the ceiling and around the vacant restaurant before shrugging, turning his gaze to the countertop as he slowly traced the lines in the wood. “There is not much I can tell you. My family is proud in its secrecy. To tell you would be… They would be angry. Disappointed.” The last words were spit, venom thick as Genji’s face twisted in an anger tainted with pain. 

 

There was a pause between them, and a moment later the man reappeared from the kitchen, two steaming bowls in his hands. He set one in front of each of them, pulling chopsticks out from beneath the counter and placing them beside each bowl. Genji absently muttered what Jesse only assumed was a thank you in Japanese, and Jesse tipped his hat to the man. He once again bowed before disappearing, curtains fluttering with his exit as Genji kept his eyes locked on the bowl.

 

Jesse couldn’t help but sympathize, even though he was still on high alert. Still, he managed to smile, holding up his hands. “Don’t worry ‘bout it friend, you can trust me. After all, you’re in the company of an ally.” 

 

The boy’s face lit up, turning to look at Jesse with eyes full of hope and excitement. However, he still hesitated, and Jesse took this time to crack his chopsticks, give the kid a minute to collect himself. Build an air of comfort, of no pressure. It was a skill Jesse had perfected in just under a year. There was a reason the Deadlocks always sent him on intell mission. He knew how to play a target for information, how to charm just about any target. Not that that’s all he saw Genji as; He was actually interested in the kid. He just also knew how to get what he wanted. So he took his time, rubbing his chopsticks together to smooth them before taking a big bite of too-hot noodles. 

 

They were delicious even though they scalded his mouth, but Jesse continued to eat, to let the tone relax. Finally Genji took a breath, and Jesse turned to him curiously, noodles still hanging from his mouth.

 

“I can’t tell you everything. But I can tell you some.” Genji offered, and Jesse slurped up the rest of the bite quickly, turning to Genji with an encouraging smile. The boy sorted through his words, opening and closing his mouth multiple times before finally speaking.

 

“My family is very powerful. We hold a lot of stock in Hanamura in all of its affairs, both legitimate and otherwise. We know all that goes on within the city limits, and do our best to work with those we feel we can profit from.” He began, clearly holding back a sea of information only allowing a trickle to flow from his lips. Jesse let each word sink in, trying to connect them to what he knew. Yakuza, it must be. Especially if Genji wouldn’t just tell him. Which clan, then? Was it the Kabayashi? The Ito? He looked at the boy before him, the child dressed in strange high fashion street clothes, and wondered how he could be out and about, at a ramen shop with a gangster from America, if he was truly a member of such a powerful clan.

 

Genji continued, breaking his own chopsticks and stirring them through the broth absentmindedly. “My brother and I are meant to… Have high positions in the clan once we come to age.” He said after a pause. “Hanzo before me. But we both have lots of responsibilities. Our loyalty to the clan is foremost important. Our training is second. We both train all day, awaken to practice our sword skills and bow lessons. Martial arts lessons. Strategy meetings. It is…. Boring.” He confessed, sighing as he idly picked at the bamboo shoots that floated in his bowl. 

 

“It is not the sort of life I wish for myself. I am not interested in complex loyalties and such responsibility. I want to live my life the way I see fit.” He said softly, and Jesse silently continued to eat beside him. It was a very novel story, the teenage boy that didn’t want to face adulthood. Content running around playing games as opposed to accepting his fate. Jesse had no doubt that he would grow to be the kind of spoiled child who gambled away his father’s money, spent more time with booze and women than on meditation and preparation. But then again, Jesse couldn’t really fault him for it. He too was simply living life the way he had seen fit. 

 

“Well,” Jesse said, swallowing hard. “I get whatcher sayin. And if yer really wantin’ to do somethin’ different, I’ll be here for you to raise hell with. As a friend.” McCree surprised himself when he found that he meant every word of what he said.

 

Genji smiled then, genuine and happy. “I am glad,” he said softly, before digging into his own noodles and beginning to eat. The two sat in silence, reveling in the atmosphere between them.

 

After some time passed, when the two had eaten in comfortable silence and placed their chopsticks within their empty bowls. Genji pulled a few crisp bills from his pocket, setting them on the counter as he rose, stretching his arms behind his head. 

 

“So, what hell shall we raise?” He grinned, and Jesse snorted as he rose to his feet.

 

“Right now? Shit, I dunno. I didn’t have anything planned,” he scratched his head, thinking for a moment. “What time is it now, 6? 7? I was just planning on heading back to base.”

 

In that instant, when Genji’s eyes lit up in unbridled delight, Jesse realized he had made a mistake. The boy gleefully grabbed his hands, grinning up at him. “That is an excellent idea! Show me your base! Let me see how you American gangsters live.” 

 

Jesse cocked an eyebrow, pulling his hands away from Genji’s. “What? Genji. No. I-Genji they’re criminals. Why would you wanna see our shithole base?”

 

“Do not be a spoil sport,” Genji grinned, taking McCree’s hand again and walking out the restaurant quickly. Jesse trailed behind him, groaning in exasperation. This was exactly what he needed; to be dragged home by a  15 year old Japanese boy and show him to the rest of the gang. But what the hell, it wasn’t hurting anything. Let the kid be disappointed. 

 

They jumped back into the night air, sky dark and street lights glittering. Jesse blinked in surprise, realizing he had no earthly idea what time it was. Genji didn’t seem phased by it at all, continuing to march them through the street. No one cared, not in this part of town, especially not at whatever time of night it was. Once they reached Akuma Square again, Genji released Jesse, prompting him forward. Jesse huffed but went ahead, shoulders hunched in defeat as Genji followed close beside him, bouncing back and forth in excitement. 

 

The traditional Hanamura fell behind them, was shed like a garment during a late night encounter, giving away to a more dirty and taboo part of the city. They left behind the well lit streets and fell down alleys, street lamps giving way to store fronts bathed in low red lights. A layer of visible filth covered the walls of the buildings they passed, flickering lights that read things like ‘MASSAGE’ and ‘HOSTESS’ in bulbs that looked like they were about to burst hissed at them as they passed. Jesse didn’t spare the scenery a second glance, but Genji looked around eagerly. 

 

Men sat outside their storefronts playing board games, stacks of cash lining the edges of the boards. Women in very little clothing leaning against walls, gesturing to them, shooting the boys winks and blowing quiet kisses. One reached out and touched Genji’s arm, and he felt himself go red in the face, Jesse snorting before quickly pulling him along with a tip of his hat to the ladies. Other people were standing in the cloak of alley way shadows whispered in quiet conversations, making exchanges in mere seconds before walking away without looking back. Genji drank it all in, and Jesse paid it no mind. 

 

Genji knew a different Hanamura. A Hanamura of ruled by Dragons wearing the skin of men, where humans could wield ancient power in order to conquer and rule. A Hanamura in which men broke the law while following laws of it’s own. In Jesse’s Hanamura, there was no real law, no rules or regulations, no authority to return to. There was only the honor among thieves.

 

When they reached the Deadlock hideout, Jesse stopped, and Genji nearly bumped into him, eyes on everything besides where he was walking. McCree said nothing, only nodded in the direction of the hide out. The washed up building covered in graffiti, the cheap iron gate, the oily puddles out front. The bottles and cigarette butts that covered the pavement. It had seemed so welcoming in its disgusting way only a night before, but now, showing it to someone else, it felt very small. Jesse had always seen it as his castle, his home in Hanamura, but showing it to Genji he realized what it really was. A washed up building in the red light district that smelled of piss and dirt. It was a truth in the dark allure of the criminal underground; Behind the fantasy, the illusion of power and glamour that shrouded the life of a gangster, what lay beneath it was a haphazard heap of poor people struggling to get their shot at anything resembling success.Genji said nothing, taking it all in, crossing his arms over his chest. 

 

“This is it?” He said after a moment's pause.

 

“Yup.”

 

“It is… Small.” 

 

Jesse turned to him, exasperated. “What did you think it was gonna be?” 

 

Genji hesitated for a moment. “I just… On TV and in the manga’s, hideouts are a lot more… Secret. Like a cave underground, or hidden inside another building.” He began, tone earnest and sincere. Jesse rolled his eyes. 

 

“Genji, we’re fucking bandits from New Mexico living across the fuckin’ globe, we don’t have a whole lot of money to spare on secret lairs.” He grunted, shooting the boy a sidelong glance. 

 

The boy took a step back, hands over his chest defensively. “I simply was not expecting it to be so small, I was not trying to be rude!”

 

“Small, huh? I’d like to see  _ your _ fuckin’ hide out, mister ‘big fancy gangster.’ Talkin’ shit about my base like yours is any better.” He snapped, propping an arm on his him. 

 

Genji gasped indignantly, folding his arms with a huff. “I will have you know mine is  _ much _ better, thank you very much.” 

 

“Oh yeah?” Jesse took a step forward, face heating up. He could feel himself getting defensive and couldn’t help it. This was the life he had chosen, this was all he had. How dare some kid who knew nothing of struggle try to mock that. He was a simple man, and this ramshackled building was his only home in the world. His chest was tight with anger as he spoke, lashing out at the boy before him. “Why don’t YOU prove it then, hot shot? I’ve done nothing but prove myself to you, it’s ‘bout time you do the same.” 

 

Genji flinched, taking a step back before throwing his hands down at his side, glaring. “You want that? You want me to show you how true criminals operate? FINE THEN.” 

 

And with that he spun around, storming back down the red streets of Hanamura. Jesse didn’t bother to think, simply following after him. Genji walked at a maddeningly fast pace, and Jesse felt like he was nearly jogging to keep up. The boy left him no time to think, darting past people and down alleys, jumping over fences and dumpsters. His movements were surprisingly deft, swift and agile in all he did, and Jesse was surprised to find he struggled to match speeds with him at points. 

 

It took Jesse longer than it should have to realize he recognized the area they were in, that he had been there before. He recognized the streetlamps, the cobblestone road, the meshing of new and old world architecture. They passed through Akuma Square before he could even register it, onto the more narrow road they had been on an hour or two before. The lights of Rikimaru flickered brightly in the inky blackness of the night, casting a glow onto the walls surrounding it. Jesse’s eyes widened when he registered the symbol of the two dragons bathed in that gentle warmth, watching it disappear as he and Genji breezed past it. They rounded a corner, still running along the road that was blocked by the high wall that the dragon’s kept locked and secure. 

 

They followed the wall for a long time, and Jesse absently wondered how long it went on, before Genji stopped abruptly. McCree skidded to a halt, eyeing the young man suspiciously as he glanced up at the familiar scalloped roof he had been admiring earlier that day. In the darkness of night they seemed even more imperial, looming and watching the two who dared draw so close. Genji spread his legs to widen his stance, lacing his fingers and holding them low. 

 

“Jump up,” he whispered, and Jesse widened his eyes. 

 

“Here?? Are you fuckin’ kidding me? We’re sneaking in  _ here _ ?” He whispered in exasperation, glancing back up at the high rooftops behind the walls.

 

Genji rolled his eyes, gesturing to Jesse with his laced fingers again. “ _ YOU _ insisted I show you, so I am going to show you.” He hissed back. “Now jump.” 

 

McCree stared at the boy for a moment before sighing, walking away before taking a running start, letting his foot bound off the boy's hand and push him into the air. He grabbed at the edge of the wall, fingers snagging it easily as he scrambled to the top and over the edge. He fell with a solid thunk, though his fall wasn’t as hard as he had initially expected. He realized a second later that there was grass beneath his fingers, and he quickly looked around, letting out a gasp of surprise.

 

He was in what appeared to be the corner of a beautiful garden, grass swaying in the evening breeze as took in the natural setting. A pond sat a few yards away, glossy black in the night sky, a few houses glowing in the silver outlines of the moon. They were small and close together, connected by a path of loose gravel that lead up beside the pond and what appeared to be a small river, a traditional bridge spanning its length in the distance. Beyond this little courtyard, Jesse could make out what looked like a dojo, and past that, simply massive buildings stood. Multifloored rooftops seemed to touch the clouds, reaching up towards the heavens as a pinnacle of Japanese splendor. Cherry blossom trees ran around the outer edge of the garden area, the grass and path sprinkled with their light pink tears.The entire complex was asleep in the silent whispers of the wind and the long white fingers of the moon that seemed to caress all within these walls in its heavenly beauty. 

 

Jesse felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. 

 

A quiet noise shook him from his awe, and he turned to see Genji crouched beside him, slowly rising to his feet. The boy smirked softly, holding out a hand to McCree, who hadn’t realized he was still sitting dumbfounded on the grass until then. He took Genji’s hand quickly, pulling himself up as he tried to find the words, tried to think of something, anything to say. He opened his mouth to speak but Genji quickly held up a finger to his own, shushing him silently. Jesse nodded quickly, and followed as Genji slowly made his way behind the small buildings towards the main house.

 

They ducked through thickets of bamboo along the outer walls, and again Jesse was amazed by how skillfully and silently Genji moved. Jesse thought he saw men in the distance, dressed in black suits with what looked like guns in their hands, but Genji never let them get close enough for any more details to become apparent. He led them along the outer edge of the building, through bushes and bamboo trees until they made it to a section of the large building that Jesse hadn’t been able to see from their initial entry point. It was a different wing of the castle, attached but very much separate. 

 

They paused for a moment, Genji peering out of the thickets to make sure the coast was clear, before gesturing to Jesse. The two raced from the shrubbery a few yards onto a back porch of this smaller wing, and Genji quickly pulled open a sliding door, ushering McCree inside. He didn’t hesitate, darting in with Genji close behind, sliding the door behind them shut quickly before turning back to McCree, panting but grinning. 

 

“That was fun, was it not?” He said quietly, and Jesse let out a deep breath, chuckling as he realized that indeed it kind of was. “This is my  wing of the house. All the servants should be in their own quarters this time of night, and no one ever comes here. So we should be alright.” 

 

Jesse let out a sigh of relief, taking in the room around them. Traditional, bare, tatami floors and white paper walls, with sparse furnishing that looked expensive despite their simplicity that glowed in the light of the moon through the thin walls.  A table low to the ground. A vase sitting on a display table made of some sort of glittering blue material, with the likeness of a dragon in it. On the wall hung a large painting with a glittering gold dragon, and on its left, two samurai; One dressed in green that crouched with a sword, and another dressed in blue that lept through the air with a bow. 

 

Genji slid his shoes off and placed them by the door, and Jesse was quick to follow, although he kept his in his arms as the boy gestured for him to follow. 

 

They made their way up a flight of stairs, hard wood that gleamed in the low light. Every wall was perfectly balanced in its decoration; A scroll draped in beautiful calligraphy here, a sculpture there, a painting on one, a photograph on the other. The building smelled of sage and oils, incense burning by the windows as the boy led him along. Jesse could not help but stare at everything. This place was a work of art, a world lost in time. It didn’t feel right that this world share the same Hanamura as the one he resided in. The thought made his home feel that much more like trash in comparison. 

 

Genji paused as they reached a door, grinning as he took hold of it, bowing with a flourish of his hand as he slid it open. “Welcome to  _ my _ hideout, Mr.Jesse McCree.”

 

What lay within the room made Jesse’s heart stop cold. He gasped as though the wind was knocked out of him, body rigid as a corpse. It wasn’t the vastness of the room, big enough to encompass all of his base that made him freeze up in terror. It wasn’t the floor littered with magazines, clothes scattered about here and there and everywhere, not the posters of bands on the walls, not the surprisingly ordinary furnishings within, like a TV and a couch in the center. There was nothing of this room that wasn’t to be expected of a rebellious teenage boy.

 

No, the cause of Jesse’s panic was seated on the couch, draped in blue cloth that flowed like water down to the ground, pooling on the floor. Genji stepped up behind Jesse only to halt just as abruptly, mouth falling open in fear. Sitting like a king on his thrown, like a dragon on his horde, onyx eyes fixed on the boys standing in the doorway. His arms were folded across his chest, long sleeves lined in gold draping down onto his lap. Long black hair, parted down the center, fell over his shoulders in a low ponytail, glowing almost blue in the moonlight. His skin, pale and stretched over marbled muscle, shone brightly, though his face was shadowed. Yet even though the shadows, his eyes burned into them, a fire burning in the irises. The world stopped spinning as Jesse stared at him, not daring to breath in the presence of this man.

 

He rose to his feet then, robes smoothing out as he stood, unfurling like a dragon, and the moonlight graced his face. High cheek bones cut his strong features, brows arched in anger that suited his royal demeanor. Lips thinned, jaw strong, every line of the man sharp and angled. Jesse stared at him, burned the image into his mind the same as he had done with the man’s picture only just that morning- had it only been that morning? It seemed so long ago. A lifetime ago. He had spent a lifetime now simply staring at him here in the moonlight of Genji’s room, and he absentmindedly thought he could very easily keep doing it.

 

The picture of him did him no justice. He was ethereal, heavenly, divine. The mental image of smoke pouring out of his nose filtered back through the haze of Jesse’s screaming mind, and he remembered Genjis words; “ _ Like a Dragon _ .” There was no other word to describe the man before him, glaring at him, poised and ready to attack, primed to destroy the thief it had caught in it’s den.

 

He felt his mouth open but his throat was dry, words stolen from him as he longed to speak. Even if he could have, he could not find the words. He was caught in limbo at the threshold between life and death, caught in the glare of the Dragon.

 

Jesse McCree licked his lips, drawing in a shallow breath as he tried to speak, but his voice failed him again. The boy behind him finally spoke up, voice shaking as it uttered the name Jesse had struggled to draw to the surface as he stared into the eyes of a man he had never hoped he would ever see, and now silently prayed he would get to gaze upon for the rest of his days.

 

_ “Hanzo. _ ”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! This is my first Overwatch story and my first story on Ao3, so I hope you all enjoy! I apologize for any mistakes or grammatical errors, feel free to message me about them. Comments and thoughts are welcome! 
> 
> Julian is from a story by http://misterstereodream.tumblr.com/  
> My tumblr is http://samatura.tumblr.com/ and you can message me there anytime! 
> 
> Hope ya'll enjoy!


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